Network architectures may be configured in order to provide simple Internet protocol (IP) and mobile IP-based packet services to any number of network components, such as a mobile station, for example. A mobile station is generally assigned an IP address that may be a static address or a dynamically assigned address from a pool of addresses. An end user of a mobile station may then register for services and roam within or beyond wireless boundaries while still maintaining the always-on and always-reachable service status.
This mobility feature offers opportunities for entities to provide Internet services, intranet services, or various other services to a mobile station. However, there are some problems associated with mobility in the context of layer-2 and layer-3 networks. As the end user base grows in number and as these end users grow in sophistication (e.g. in terms of mobility and/or in the services requested), communication systems should be developed to optimally accommodate these end users. Performance and compatibility are two eminent concerns for any person who is relegated the difficult task of accounting for a large number of diverse end users.
Accordingly, the ability to provide a communications system that consumes few resources, optimizes bandwidth, and achieves superior performance across layer-2 and layer-3 configurations presents a significant challenge for network operators, service providers, and system administrators.